


An Eventful Evening

by BlueNerdBird



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types
Genre: Curse of Strahd, F/F, Mutual Pining, Recreational Drug Use, Role-Playing Game, Tieflings, Useless Lesbians, Useless Vampires, so many tieflings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-06 23:38:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17354822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueNerdBird/pseuds/BlueNerdBird
Summary: After making it to the town of Vallakhi with Ireena in tow, the party decides to take a night off at local brothel, the Moonlit Vale.





	An Eventful Evening

_“They’ve been gone for a while, what’s keeping them?”_ Kiala thought to herself.

It had been several hours since their resident rogue and gunslinger, Prosperity and Gwen, had left them at the tavern. She shook her head, as long as they stayed in pairs they were safe.

That was a lesson learned the hard way, and hopefully not to be repeated.

Trapped in this hellscape, there was little that she could do besides prepare healing potions alongside Citero, the only other one in the party with experience in herbalism. Under any other circumstances, the bleeding eyes, bat-like wings, and strange voice would’ve sent her running. In Barovia however, there were far more frightening things than a tiefling bloodhunter.

    The smell of different herbs filled the room they were occupying, a simple bedroom where they had all convened after finally making it to the town of Vallakhi. It had been a trying journey, surviving death house and helping Ireena make it safely to Vallakhi. Of course that wasn’t going to be their last stop, but after meeting Strahd for the first time…

    Kiala had never felt rage within her burn brighter. The superstition of her tribe ran deep, both with the sacred nature of death and her ancestors. Undead were to be eliminated at all costs, and the way her stomach had recoiled at the mention of Vampire Lord made her tail thump angrily behind her.

    The way that he had been able to charm Gwen, the hard-headed brothel owner who had pointed her guns at Kiala more than once, enough to bite her and almost turn her against them completely? It scared her more than she would ever admit.

    Curio, head stuck in a book, poked his head up as her tail thrashed around, sending her a questioning glance. His shoulder length white hair was kept immaculately straight and combed, almost as clean as his robes still remained. If not for the horns and dark ash-colored skin, he could almost pass for an elven noble. Kiala simply smiled at the person she has come to call her best friend, because she didn’t really want to talk about it, and she knew he didn’t either. They’d talked of almost nothing else as of late.

    “Do your tails often do that?” Ireena spoke, a curious expression on her face as Kiala realized her tail was still swishing angrily.

    “Sometimes? I do not always realize it,” Kiala said, a bit of the anger releasing as she spoke to Ireena.

    “Strahd often has strange taste in adventurers, but you all are the first all tiefling party I’ve seen,” Ireena said, toying with her hair. Kiala opened her mouth to reply, but Curio interjected and started peppering her with questions,

    “Did you know the other parties? How close did they get to defeating Strahd?”

    She tried giving him a look to tell him to butt out, but it went straight over his head. If he had noticed her growing affection towards the human in their midst, he had remained oblivious. Looking over, she saw Wally give her a sympathetic glance, the smaller bard shrugging.

    She needed to talk to someone at least, because she could feel the events from the past week and her conflicting emotions close to boiling over.

    “Wally, could I talk to you for moment?” she asked towards the sheepish looking tiefling perched on one of the beds. He simply nodded and followed her out of the door into the hallway.

    “What is it Miss Kiala? Is everything alright?”

    “Everything is fine, I just wanted to talk to someone. I would talk to белка,” using her diminutive nickname for her best friend, “but he would just gush about Skylar. I heard enough of them on our journey before Barovia, but I want advice from friend.” Wally’s longer ears seemed to perk up as a gentle smile crossed his face as she called him a friend.

    “Of course Miss Kiala, what did you want advice on?”

    Running a hand through the hair on the side she hadn’t cut short, Kiala took a second to compose her thoughts. She could vent about the horrors they’d seen, the stress they all felt, and the threat of death that never really seemed to leave, but there was one other thing Kiala knew that she wanted to talk about.

    “Кролик I… wanted to talk about Ireena,” she confessed, feeling a slight warmth in her cheeks as she thought of how silly it was to talk about this sort of thing while they could all be dead at any moment.

    “What about her? She’s awfully nice, I’ve talked to her quite a bit the past few days,” Wally said, and Kiala cleared her throat.

    “She is nice, and I think I may have feelings for her. However before I left my tribe, there was another woman,” Kiala paused and coughed awkwardly, “who’s name was Irina.”

    Wally blinked at her.

    “She was much different however, and we broke things off when I left.”

    “That shouldn’t be a problem then, and if you’re nervous you can always just see how things turn out,” he offered.

    “I am not sure, she is nice and pretty, but yes I suppose you are right. We just see how things go,” Kiala said, fighting the blood rushing to her cheeks.

    Following her friend back into the room, it wasn’t too long before Gwen and Prosperity returned, both in better spirits than the party had last seen them. The party all went down to the main room of the tavern to reconvene.

    “Ya’ll we are going to the Moonlit Vale tonight,” Gwen spoke, the drawal in her voice more pronounced than usual.

    “Oh yes! It will be so much fuuuun!” Prosperity said, bouncing on her heels, blue skin and Vistani dress setting her apart from the rest.

    “What is Moonlit Vale?” Kiala asked.

    “Issa brothel!” Gwen said excitedly, taking a small pouch out of her bag.

    “I don’t know…” Kiala replied, both her and Curio looking unconvinced on the idea.

    “They have a pit fighting riiiing,” Prosperity said, directing that at Kiala. The brothel part had not interested her, but proving her strength? Kiala needed a fight. Fighting wolves on the road had not quite released the tension that she’d carried from defeating the Death House and encountering Strahd. Rage still simmered just beneath her skin, begging for the rush of battle.

    “Alright, I will go,” Kiala said, and at her words, Curio piped up beside her.

    “I’ll go as well, it’ll be enjoyable to see Kiala beat some poor sap up.” Curio said with a smirk.

    “Wally? Citero? Either of you coming too?” Gwen asked to the two remaining tieflings.

    “Sure, I don’t see why not,” Citero replied, his strange wispy voice drawing out the length of his words.

    “I suppose, but Miss Ireena, would you like to come too?” Wally asked, turning around to the newest member of their group. Upon hearing the confirmation, both tiefling women proceeded to lay out the contents of a small pouch, a fine white powder, along the table. Wraith dust, if Kiala remembered their earlier conversation about it.

    “I don’t know…”

    “You should come with us! It will be good to have a break from everything, and you can watch Miss Kiala in the pit fights too!” Wally said and Kiala didn’t know whether she wanted to hug the small bard or yell at him. Instead, she just focused her gaze on the two tiefling women at the table snorting lines of the wraith dust.

    “Well… Sure, I’ve been real tired of being cooped up for so long,” Ireena said with a grin. Kiala’s jaw hit the floor as Ireena bent down and inhaled a line of wraith dust.

    Both Prosperity and Gwen let out whoops of excitement as the party all left for the Moonlit Vale.

 

~~~~

 

    Only Gwen, Prosperity, and Ireena partook of the Wraith Dust, the three of them high as a kite as they walked arm in arm ahead of the group. Kiala couldn’t help but think on the words she’d exchanged with Wally earlier that evening, and on her memories with her ex.

    Irina had been one of her only friends in the tribe, one of the few who didn’t immediately scorn or jeer at her. A half elf with enough spitfire to throw just about any insult back into the face of those that threw insults at her. Kiala admired that, a kindred spirit who had a bone to pick with how the world had treated them.

    It felt like years ago, but Kiala had only left her tribe three months ago. Had it really been that long? She wondered whether her mother and father thought of her, or if the tribe had already started training another shaman. Before a feeling of homesickness could threaten her, the party approached a lively building on the street, the only one it seemed, as the rest of the city was near dead with stillness.

    The giggling trio in front went in ahead, as Kiala and Curio split off from the group to find the pit fighting ring. It was Kiala’s lucky day, as the ring was hard to miss. With a bar encircling one wall, the establishment seemed to be more spacious on the inside, with tables and booths all surrounding an open pit that seemed to go into the ground. Going over, Kiala saw two people already engaged in combat, and she felt her blood start to hum with excitement.

    Walking up to the man holding a book, Kiala knew that the greataxe strapped across her back earned a few stares from the crowd gathered.

    “I would like to fight,” she said, and the man looked up from his book, eyes wide as she brought forth her axe, resting it on her shoulders. His gaze was more inquisitive as he took her in, taller than average, pale grey skin, and fierce looking tribal tattoos, covered only by a bit of cloth around her breasts and thick pants. Her pupiless eyes stared him back, returning his stare in equal measure as he flipped through pages.

    “Would you like an well matched fight? Or something a bit more challenging?”

    She had no idea what to expect, and a well-matched fight could be just the thing she needed to let loose some steam. A flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye revealed her companions, Gwen and Ireena still arm in arm as the two chatted and laughed together. Kiala felt her blood begin to simmer.

    “I’ll take the challenging fight.”

 

~~~~

 

    She felt her tail thump against the dirt, and stares from the crowd prickle her skin. It was overwhelming, but now was the time to let it loose. All her training, to hone her rage, she needed to bring it in. As the gate opened and her opponent walked in, she felt it rise up, threatening to burst free.

    It felt almost cold without her fur mantle, having draped it over Wally who had been nursing a glass of milk at the bar. She knew it would only get in her way however, which could be useful, as the man in the ring in front of her, Vistani with a cat-like grin, seemed like he was built more for speed and close combat.

    The anticipation was getting to Kiala, her greataxe getting lighter in her hands as her blood began to sing, the wrath of her ancestors burning in the tattoos covering her body. The gate slammed shut, and the man lurched at her, the fight finally beginning.

    Kiala called forth the fire within her, the burning anger that she could never quench. With a feral yell, she felt the crowd blur out as her opponent was the only thing in front of her. She was a predator, towering over the Vistani man like a wolf towers over the rabbit. Blue spirits clouded the walls around the pit, her ancestors guiding her, as she swung and missed, the man darting and landing two small cuts across her arms.

    She whirled and hissed at him, swinging her axe around full speed, her anger blurring out all thought, all emotion. Her spirit called for blood, for her hits to land, but it was once again another miss as her axe glided through the air.

    Another cut as the man slashed at her with a rapier, slicing a light wound across her back. Frustration built in her body, a spring coiled too taught, as she snapped and finally landed a blow. Her axe left a gaping wound in the man, his light armor taking what could have been a fatal blow.

    She was not here for death, just for a fight, she couldn’t forget that.

    Back and forth he dodged her blows as she took the hits, unfazed by the damage.

    At the establishment above, Gwen moved her arm around Ireena’s waist, emboldened by the drugs. Seeing the look in her eyes however, Ireena moved Gwen’s arm away and turned her full attention back to the fight, unable to look away.

    Kiala could feel blood trickling down her abdomen and her arms, but she felt nothing but white hot fire running through her veins. The desire to fight, to win, was overpowering. It was clear her opponent was on his last legs, bleeding heavily where Kiala had landed one blow to his leg.

    Closing her eyes, she called forth the infernal fire within her blood that ignited her axe, wreathing it in flames. She had not asked to be sent to Barovia, to be stuck in this place. She had not asked her ancestors to call her to do the impossible, to slay Strahd.

    She did not travel this far to die at the hands of some undead filth.

    Bringing her axe in for a feint, her opponent bought it as she whirled around and sunk it into his armor, igniting him.

    Crying out, he staggered backwards, barely conscious as Kiala approached, making two more feeble swipes as she gave a wolfish grin. Still on fire, the man let out a final cry as she brought the handle of her axe down on the man’s head, sending him unconscious into the dirt.

    Kiala kept the wolfish grin as she felt the rush of victory wash over her, before it was replaced with concern at the still-burning unconscious man at her feet. She quickly tried to douse the flames, as some tavern workers aided her and carried him off.

    Finding her way back to the main floor, she was handed a rather large pouch of gold which she pocketed with a grin. Curio came up to her first, familiar on his shoulder as he praised her.

    “Kiala! You kicked ass! That guy didn’t stand a chance against you, I knew I made the right choice in hiring you!” he said, and Kiala could only grin and pull him into a large bear hug.

    Curio was soon pushed out of the way as Ireena made her way to Kiala.

    “Kiala! You did great! You aren’t hurt too bad are you?” she said, hands going to a wound on her bicep. Kiala felt her cheeks warm as Ireena grabbed for her, but continued before she could get a word in. “Here, I’ll help bandage your wounds.”

    Looking to her best friend, Kiala only saw him give her a knowing look as the human woman led her over to the bar, taking some supplies out of her pack.

    “I didn’t get hit too hard, he took more damage,” Kiala offered, but Ireena waved her off.

    “This cut on your arm is bleeding pretty bad, here, let me.” Ireena waved a bartender over and got a bit of alcohol and dipped a cloth in it, cleaning the cut on her arm. The closeness of Ireena had not left Kiala’s mind, nor the forwardness in her offer to help. Perhaps it was the drugs that emboldened the woman in front of her, at least that was what Kiala thought.

    Her hands were gentle as they cleared the blood off some of her larger cuts, and as she cleaned the cut on her back, she felt Ireena trace one of the tattoos on her back. She gulped, and prayed to her ancestors that she wasn’t misreading any signals.

    Kiala could only try to fight the blush on her cheeks as she turned back around to face Ireena.

    “I didn’t know you could light your axe up like that Kiala, I’ve never seen you do that before,” she said, dazed expression still on her face from the Wraith Dust.

    “This past week in Barovia, I have been getting stronger. When I called fire, I believe it was from my infernal heritage. Something in my blood,” Kiala said, tail swishing as she combed a hand through her hair, tucking some of the longer strands behind her large horns.

    “That’s amazing, just being able to use it like that,” Ireena said, but was cut off as the bartender brought over a bottle of wine.

    “A gift from your friend, told me to give it to you two.” Was all the bartender said before going off to the next customer. Kiala peered over Ireena’s shoulder where Curio was giving a thumbs up, his familiar, Illipam, copying him with the wave of his tiny paw.

    “That was nice of them, whoever it was,” Ireena said, already moving to uncork the bottle. With a nod to Curio, Kiala turned her attention back to Ireena and the wine.

    Before it could be poured into cups, Ireena drew the bottle up to her lips as Kiala gave her a wide eyed look. The woman that had been shy and reserved with them on their travels was but a distant memory as Ireena grinned, eyes still dazed and her cheeks red from the wine.

    It was about as good of an invitation as any.

“To a good fight!” Kiala said, raising the bottle in a toast between the two of them.

    Taking a dreg from it, she felt the alcohol in it warm her chest. Not the fiery rage from earlier, but a spreading, soothing warmth.

    “To getting me out of that village and away from Strahd!” Ireena said as she received the bottle again, taking a long drink from it as well.

    “What’s it like outside of Barovia?” Ireena asked, her words slurring slightly. Kiala thought for a moment.

    “It’s beautiful, my tribe live up in mountains. Weather can be cold yes, but also nice. It does not seem like you have blue skies here, but we have them often. During summer at least,” Kiala said, taking a drink.

    “I wanna go there someday. Out of Barovia, I want to see the sun. I want to see the mountains, I wanna see all of it Kiala,” she said, and Kiala felt her face burn with a different kind of heat as Ireena moved in closer to her.

    “I want you to show me what it’s like out there Kiala,” Ireena replied. Kiala was glad to have some sense about her still as she moved back, not wanting to take advantage of someone not in their right mind.

 Kiala was glad to have been too drunk, any more alcohol and she might’ve done something rash, but she kept to herself and just nodded.

    “Once I defeat Strahd, I will,” Kiala told her, and she meant it. If she had truly never been outside of Barovia, to have never known a sunny day or the chilly mountain breeze… Kiala couldn’t imagine such a life.

    “Come on,” Ireena said, swaying a bit as she got up from her seat. “I wanna go back to the tavern.” Kiala masked a surprised cough, yes this Ireena was in no way the same one they had been traveling with. While her offer was tempting, Kiala was still coherent enough to know that neither of them were sober enough to consent to anything. However it was getting late, and they had established that no one was to go anywhere alone, for fear of running into Strahd.

    Giving a cursory glance back to the others, just to check in, she was almost a bit shocked. Curio seemed blissed out staring at a wall while his familiar Illipam and Wally shared a bowl of salted peanuts. Citero was in the middle of taking some kind of drug, and Gwen and Prosperity were nowhere to be seen, likely taking advantage of the brothel side of the tavern.

    Grabbing the wine bottle off the bar, Kiala followed Ireena out of the tavern into the chilly night air. Taking another swig, she could feel the wine getting to her head, the world spinning a bit as she put a hand on Ireena’s shoulder to steady herself.

    “Don’t worry about the others, they’ll be fiiiiine,” Ireena said, her words slurring as her gait swayed back and forth.

    “C’mere, you look like you are about to fall,” Kiala said, putting her arm around the woman’s shoulder and Ireena giggled.

    “You’re so strong Kiala,” Ireena said with a warm smile, moving in closer to Kiala’s side. It was all she could do not to pull her into a kiss, but it didn’t seem right. Not when they’d had half a bottle of wine, and Ireena had taken Wraith Dust.

    As they walked, Kiala couldn’t help but notice how empty the streets were. As if everyone had fled inside, or to the Moonlit Vale. She could almost swear the shadows were moving around them, and she tried to usher Ireena along faster.

    “We should get back, it’s not safe to be out here,” Kiala said, trying to fight against the buzz from the wine. If something was out there, she needed to have her senses about her.

    “You’ll keep me safe Kiala, you’re good at that,” Ireena said, taking the bottle from Kiala and drinking from it.

    “We have had enough wine I think, you especially.” Kiala moved to take back the bottle of wine, but Ireena protested. With a bit of a laugh, Kiala grabbed it and held it up high over her head, knowing that Ireena wasn’t tall enough to reach.

    “Well that’s not fair,” she said, a pout on her face. Kiala only laughed a bit before realizing how close they were. Ireena had gotten up on her tiptoes to try and reach, putting a hand on her shoulder to boost herself, but that left their faces at the same height.

    It was only for a moment, before Ireena swayed again on her feet as Kiala put her hand back on Ireena’s shoulder to steady her.

    “Come on, we’re almost back,” Kiala said, trying to calm her racing heart.

    While shadows moved around them, both made it back to the inn without much trouble. Grabbing the wine from Kiala while she was distracted, Ireena laughed and took a drink from it, almost tripping over several items of furniture in the process.

    “Ireena, you are drunk, no more wine,” Kiala tried to reason, following the inebriated woman as she went up to her room.

    “Take it from me then, because this wine is reeeeeaaally good,” she said, words slurring more than before.

    Following her up the stairs, she could only keep the woman in front of her from falling down the stairs, all coordination gone. Forgetting that she was trying to keep the wine from Kiala, Ireena let the bottle hang at her side before Kiala snatched it.

    “Hey!” she said, looking at the tiefling woman taking a large drink from it.

    “You are too drunk,” Kiala said, feeling her accent get thicker as her mind fogged, “is my bottle now.”

    “But what if I want some?”

    “Then you learn to share, сердце,” Kiala said with a grin.

    “No fair, I don’t know what that means,” Ireena said, tripping over the last stair as Kiala lurched forward and stopped her fall. Face burning as she realized she essentially had the woman in her arms, Kiala set her back on her feet, but Ireena’s arms didn’t unwrap from around her.

    “ _She’s drunk, she’s high, don’t be stupid Kiala. For once don’t act on impulse.”_ she tried to tell herself, but it was getting increasingly difficult. The fight didn’t quite distract her enough  from her own thoughts it seemed, as she led Ireena to the door of her room.

    “Come on, almost there,” Kiala said, almost carrying Ireena with how much she didn’t move. Finally getting her to the bed, Ireena fell in it, clothes and shoes still on, and almost immediately started snoring lightly. She set the bottle of wine, now empty, on the bedside table.

    Feeling exhaustion weigh on her, Kiala set her axe in the corner and took an unused pillow, collapsing near the bed. It would have barely been big enough to fit the two of them anyway, Kiala told herself as sleep took her.

 

~~~~

 

    In an alleyway a block from the Moonlit Vale, a tiefling gunslinger, high on Wraith Dust, heard a voice in the shadows.

 

~~~~

 

    It wasn’t two hours before Kiala heard Curio using Message to her, speaking to her without being in the room.

    “Ki, it’s Gwen. She just got thrown through a window and is bleeding out. Come quick.”

    That was all it took for Kiala to rise to her feet, reaching for her axe against the wall. She heard a groan from the bed as Ireena mumbled.

    “Whaa.. what’s going on,”

    “It’s Gwen. She’s hurt, I’m going to see what’s going on.”

    Going to the door, axe in hand, Kiala looked across the balcony to the other side of the tavern, a sleepy Ireena yawning behind her.

    Across the way, she could see the rest gathered in the room that Gwen and Prosperity shared, with each of them yelling at each other except for Citero and Wally, Illipam perched on his shoulder, who hung by the door to their own room.

    “I’m telling you I’m fine! Just had a run-in with Strahd is all,” Gwen said, her voice carrying across the tavern.

“Then I don’t see the big deal, we just go back to sleep now yes?” Prosperity added.

“We don’t know if she’s charmed by Strahd! It happened just yesterday, how can we trust her again?” Curio replied.

“What’s going on?” Kiala asked, calling out to them.

“I told ya’ll I’m fine! Just go back to sleep, we can sort it all out in the morning,” Gwen said.

Kiala gave a look to Ireena behind her, who just shrugged.

“If that is case, then I suppose we head back to bed. Did you get healed Gwen?” Kiala responded.

“Yes yes, Wally made sure I got patched up just fine.”

“Alright then, good night,” Kiala said, both her and Ireena going back into the room.

As the door behind her shut and Kiala set her axe back down, she looked over and saw Ireena patting the bed with her hand, scooting towards the wall to make room. Face heating again at the bold gesture, Kiala gave her a grin and slid into bed beside her.

 

~~~~

 

    Another knock sounded at the door, before either had really fallen back asleep.

    “Ugh, probably another argument. I’ll get it,” she mumbled sleepily. They were both still fully clothed, but Kiala removed the covers and slid out of bed, reaching for her axe out of habit. She opened the door with a glare, eyes burning against the light in the tavern.

    “What is it Gwen?” she asked as the hornless tiefling stood at her door.

    “We gotta get Ireena somewhere safe. If we get her to the stables, then we can get her a horse to get to a safe place,”

    A magic presence wormed into Kiala’s head. She fought for a moment, but like the warmth calmness of a friend, it took root in her half-asleep state.

    What hesitation she had, was replaced by the relaxing feeling that she was near a friend.

    “If that’s what’s safest for Ireena,” she said.

    The woman in question came up behind her.

    “What’s safest for me Kiala?”

    “We’re gonna take you to the stables, get you somewhere safe,” Gwen replied. Across the landing, Curio and Prosperity argued, watching the scene unfold.

    “Kiala what do you mean? We’re to take Ireena to the abbey soon, not to the stables! And anyway it’d be safest to just spend the night here, we’re all exhausted,” Curio said, looking confused between Kiala and Gwen.

    “I just want to keep her safe,” Kiala repeated, her mind made up.

    “I mean maybe, but what about you Ireena?” Curio asked, concern in his eyes.

    “If that’s what Kiala thinks is safe, then I trust her,” Ireena said, looking up at Kiala.

    “So wait Kiala, you _agree_ with Gwen?” Curio said, but Kiala couldn’t understand his apprehension. He was always the nervous one in the group, worried about everything. It made sense that he would question her following the advice of Gwen.

    “Yes I do,” Kiala said, nodding to Gwen.

    “The woman who pointed her gun at you yesterday? Who almost shot you because you said you wanted to kill Strahd while she was charmed?”  
    “Yes, I don’t see the problem белка.”

    Wally now walked out, concerned at the raised voice before he took a long glance at everyone staring each other down.

    “Miss Gwen, if this is you I’m terribly sorry.”

    Throwing his hands out and muttering the incantation, Kiala and Ireena leapt back as a cloud of daggers appeared, cutting into Gwen.

    Gwen, who’s form rippled with an unnaturally sly grin. The tail wrapped around her leg disappeared with a shimmer, her face turning almost unnaturally gaunt and twisted, her clothes shifting into dark robes.

    Kiala knew the figure standing before her, but the blanket over her mind did not lift at the sight of Strahd van Zarovitch in front of her. Ireena however, yanked on Kiala’s arm and pulled her back into the room, slamming the door with all her force.

    “He’s charmed you,” she said, and Kiala could hear the noises of combat begin outside, with spells thudding against the door as the clanging metal of weapons rang out.

    “What?” was all Kiala managed before the door opened again, Strahd wearing a confident, charming smile as he looked at the two of them.

    Unable to lift a finger against her friend, Kiala just shook her head, fighting an utter feeling of wrongness. Why were her party and friends going against her friend? Why was her axe so limp in her hands? Why can’t she fight?

    Panicking at the sight of the strong warrior in front of her completely frozen, Ireena knew she had to do something against the hold Strahd had gotten over Kiala, even if it meant the death of both of them.

    Kiala could only look in confusion at the sight in front of her, before Ireena grabbed her by the shoulders and lifted herself up to plant a kiss on Kiala. Her embrace was warm, the voices and spells fading into the distance as she moved her hand to cup Ireena’s face, prolonging the kiss beyond what she had originally intended, but felt something snap within her mind.

    As Ireena broke it off, Kiala felt herself wanting more, but was struck by a sudden awareness of just how wrong the situation was. Of who was still standing in front of them, and what he’d almost made her do.

    Drawing her axe with a snarl, Kiala felt the battle rage fill her as she readied for battle.

~~~~

    Blood loss had knocked her unconscious in the middle of the fight. She had no idea how long she’d been unconscious, or what had happened by the end of the fight, but as awareness got hold of her, she was aware of Ireena sleeping softly at her side. Bracing her arm against the headboard, she tried to get up, but almost fell as a sharp pain cut through her stomach.

    They had moved to the larger room, four beds lined up on one side of the wall. Curio and Illipam were resting on a chair, while Wally, Citero, and Prosperity were laid out on the other beds.

    Gwen was sprawled out as well, a nasty scar stretching across her face.

    Looking at Ireena by her side, she saw freshly bandaged cuts along her arms, and one across her abdomen. Looking down at her own, she saw the largest cut was on her shoulder, but it hadn’t been just that.

    Facing Strahd, _truly_ facing Strahd for the first time was not quite the glorious battle Kiala had expected. It was messy, confusing, and had knocked her on her ass within the first thirty seconds. Had she not done the pit fighting earlier, perhaps it would’ve kept her fighting for longer. She had no idea how they were still all together and alive after that fight, but they’d heard word that Strahd likes to play with the adventurers before finishing them off.

    Being so close to such a powerful undead entity, it had shaken Kiala. More than the day before, she had been so easily put under his charm. She had almost given Ireena to him on a silver platter.

    And then Ireena had kissed her. Broken the charm, and given her the boost to keep fighting.

    She ran a hand along Ireena’s dark hair, grateful for her in so many ways. They would talk in the morning, that was for sure.

    They were alive for another day, and they had to keep fighting. Her ancestors had demanded it of her, to slay Strahd, and whatever it took, she would see it done.

 

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr at nerdiestdanibirb!


End file.
